The subject matter of this disclosure relates generally to multi-phase power converter topologies, including without limitation those converter topologies based on H-bridges, and more particularly to a modulation scheme for such multi-phase converters to provide better utilization of a given dc-link voltage by injection of a suitable common-mode voltage to all voltage reference signals.
State-of-the-art modulation schemes for multi-phase converters provide better utilization of a given dc-link voltage by injection of a suitable common-mode voltage to all voltage reference signals. The known schemes provide optimal utilization of the dc-link voltage when all phase voltages are generated from a common dc-link. The known schemes however, are disadvantageous in that they can only use the voltage up to the minimum voltage level, which reduces the output voltage or requires bulky dc-link capacitor.
Although such known schemes are common for standard topologies, these schemes are not capable of providing optimal utilization of the dc-link voltage when each phase voltage is generated from an independent dc-link voltage source such as implemented by multi-phase power converter topologies based on H-bridges.
In view of the foregoing, there is a need to provide a modulation scheme for multi-phase converters that employ H-bridge topologies and that provides a more optimal use of dc-link voltages than that achievable using state-of-the-art modulation schemes for multi-phase converters.